Identifying Australian Native pea flowers is very difficult. I have many photographs of flowers that look slightly different, and I have spent days trying to work out whether they are the same species or different species. In my search I have discovered that there are many different species of Bush-pea, Bitter-pea, Parrot-pea, Wedge-pea, Flat-pea and … Continue reading Bushy Parrot-Pea (Dillwynia ramosissima)
Tag: nature photography
Australian Wood Ducks
It has been quite a busy week. In those moments where I just want a break, I have been very thankful for the return of the Australian Wood Ducks which are back after spending the Summer elsewhere. For some reason, they seem much more relaxed near the house, which is fantastic. It has given … Continue reading Australian Wood Ducks
My Favourite Tree
This tree is central to the view we have when we look out the window from the main rooms in the house. Each day the light is different, and each day the fork I have photographed looks slightly different in colour. It never fails to interest me. I have lost count of the number of … Continue reading My Favourite Tree
Yellow Rush-lily (Tricoryne elatior)
I photographed these Yellow Rush-Lily flowers at the very end of December, and they were still flowering into January. In these hot Summer months, few flowers are in bloom, so I was ecstatic that they were so plentiful, and also that they took on a different form from many of the wild lily flowers, … Continue reading Yellow Rush-lily (Tricoryne elatior)
A Gallery of Hollows: Part 1
Native wildlife often rely on tree hollows for shelter and a place to raise young. We have so many interestingly shaped tree hollows, and I’ve just started to photograph them. I’ve called this post ‘Part 1″ because I’m sure there will be a follow-up with more!
Black-Faced Cuckoo Shrike
Strolling around with my camera mid-afternoon on a hot January day, I saw this fellow sitting high in a tree: a Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike. These are the times when I wish I had a telephoto lens. The bird was just sitting there, relaxed and I had the opportunity to take several shots before it moved to … Continue reading Black-Faced Cuckoo Shrike
Oops! It’s a boy!
Using adult Eastern Grey Kangaroo sex identification markers, I seized on the joey’s white chest fur to boldly proclaim that it was a female in an earlier post. As the joey grows and matures, the white fur is turning brown and it is becoming increasingly obvious that I was wrong. He’s all boy! Most mornings … Continue reading Oops! It’s a boy!
Learning to Carol
Two young Magpies have taken to using the bird feeder as a convenient platform while learning how to carol. At the moment they produce a mix of squeaky or rasping twiddles and trills that are often grating to the ear, but over time they are developing some melodic notes. I know when they mature their … Continue reading Learning to Carol
Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata)
Also called the Star-of-Bethlehem and known to the Indigenous Koorie population as Popoto, the cheerful Milkmaid blooms were present for most of Spring and into early Summer. We found them mostly in the bushland at the back of our property, but occasionally one or two would pop-up in other areas. A member of the Liliacea … Continue reading Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata)
An Eerie Light
Last week we experienced a heat wave in Victoria, with highest-ever temperatures being recorded in some locations. The intense heat led to many fires across the entire State, resulting in a smoke-filled atmosphere. Fanned by strong wind, the smoke drifted for hundreds of kilometers. For a few hours on Friday afternoon, while it drifted across … Continue reading An Eerie Light
Spotted Jezebel (Delias aganippe)
The four days of intense heat have played havoc with the butterfly population. We saw many around the perimeter of the house, seeking a cooler spot. Some of them perished in the process. When I took the first of these two photographs, this Spotted Jezebel butterfly was alive. Unfortunately, we found it dead the next day. … Continue reading Spotted Jezebel (Delias aganippe)
Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina)
This week’s addition to the A – Z Plant Species list is a purple pea-like flower. The pea family of plants native to Australia is very large, and many species look pretty much the same. Based on our location, the fact that the flower has white patches (not yellow) the longer hairy stem, and the … Continue reading Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina)
An Injured Red Wattlebird
Today the light was eerie (click here for photos of the sky). I took the camera out to capture the colour of the sky, and wandered onto the jetty without looking. A fluttering sound caught my attention, and I turned to see what I thought was a fledgling Red Wattlebird running up and down the … Continue reading An Injured Red Wattlebird
Swamp Wallaby Drinking
Last Summer on a stinking hot day I photographed a Swamp Wallaby drinking out of the dam in the afternoon. Usually, being nocturnal, we only see them at dusk or dawn. Well, another stinking hot day, and another Swamp Wallaby drinking out of the dam in the daylight. These photographs were taken at around 3:30 … Continue reading Swamp Wallaby Drinking
The Rorschach Tree
What do you see in the fork of this tree? For me it could be the face of an old man or the head of a lion, but I am sure there are many more interpretations. Comment below to tell me what you see! Rorschach Rorschach Rorschach
Spurwinged Plover or Masked Lapwing
I’ve always know this species as the Spurwinged Plover, but my field guide to birds tells me that they have been renamed as the Masked Lapwing. The name ‘Spurwing’ refers to the bony ‘spurs’ which the birds have on their shoulder, and which they can use for defence. Appearing approximately eight months ago, the Plovers … Continue reading Spurwinged Plover or Masked Lapwing
Marbled Xenica (Geitoneura Klugii)
For months now, it has puzzled me why so many butterflies hover low to the ground above bark and leaf litter, and in thick grassy areas with no flowers in sight. I’ve always associated butterflies with flowers. Thanks to a wonderful book given to me by my sister for Christmas, I can now answer that … Continue reading Marbled Xenica (Geitoneura Klugii)
Iridescent Feathers – the Straw Necked Ibis Returns
The Straw-Necked Ibis must have thought the food worth a return visit, for it was back again this morning. Still solitary, it was sharing the bounty with two ducks, two Corellas, a kookaburra and a flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. My best guess is that there is some kind of burrowing larvae hatching at this … Continue reading Iridescent Feathers – the Straw Necked Ibis Returns
A Solitary Straw-Necked Ibis
We rarely see ibis here. In the sixteen months we have been here, I can count on one hand the number of days I’ve sighted them. The last time we had Straw-Necked Ibis here, they arrived at dusk to roost and were gone at first light. Given this, it was a surprise to find a … Continue reading A Solitary Straw-Necked Ibis
Red Beard-orchid (Calochilus paludosus)
I’ve saved a special orchid for Christmas. We only had one of these growing – at least, we only found one. Even then, we would have missed it without our friend’s sharp eyes. At the time the bud was just on the point of opening. We staked it and visited every day to see it … Continue reading Red Beard-orchid (Calochilus paludosus)
Weekly Photo Challenge: One
Sometimes, words seem unnecessary.
A Gallery of Wet Bark
This post is inspired by Jan in England, who likes to use the Australian bush colours for weaving projects. We’ve had quite a bit of rain recently, which really brings out the colour of fallen pieces of bark. The moss, plants and leaf litter add more texture and colour into the mix. If you’re a … Continue reading A Gallery of Wet Bark
Prickly Starwort (Stellaria pungens)
This post is the beginning of a weekly addition to the A – Z Plant Index showing plant species we have growing on our property. I’ve started small, based on previously published posts, but I have a large stock of unpublished photographs to identify and add over the coming months. This list will evolve … Continue reading Prickly Starwort (Stellaria pungens)
Battling a Reflection: Superb Fairy Wrens
This morning I noticed two Superb Fairy Wrens chattering right outside the window between the deck and the dining room. Repeatedly they would fly to perch on a gardening tool leaning on the glass to chatter and scold. At first I thought it was me they were warning away. Later in the day, with a … Continue reading Battling a Reflection: Superb Fairy Wrens
Fifteen Acres 